Holiday scores 35, leads Sixers over Knicks

Philadelphia 76ers' Jrue Holiday goes up for a shot during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the New York Knicks, Saturday, Jan. 26, 2013, in Philadelphia. Philadelphia won 97-80. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

PHILADELPHIA — Jrue Holiday scored a career-high 35 points, Nick Young had 20 and the 76ers cruised to a 97-80 victory over the Knicks on Saturday night.

Evan Turner also added 20 points for the Sixers, who led from the start and beat the Knicks for the first time in four tries and second in eight games.

Carmelo Anthony needed 28 shots to get 25 points. He has 28 straight 20-point games, tied with Patrick Ewing for second-longest streak in franchise history. Richie Guerin did it 29 games in a row in 1961-62.

It was a great day for hoops at the Wells Fargo Center. In a game that tipped off eight hours earlier, Villanova knocked off No. 3 Syracuse 75-71 in overtime for its second victory over a top 5 team in five days.

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The Atlantic Division-leading Knicks, who are second in the Eastern Conference, have lost five of eight.

The Sixers opened an eight-game homestand, their longest since 1986, with only their third win in 11 games. They’re 8-19 since a 10-6 start.

Holiday, selected to his first All-Star team this week, took control right from the start. He scored eight points in the first three-plus minutes as the Sixers jumped out to a 12-2 lead and never let up.

Holiday hit a 3-pointer to make it 46-36 late in the second. After baskets by Raymond Felton and Tyson Chandler, Holiday scored on a driving layup and made a free throw to complete a 3-point play.

Another basket by Holiday was followed by Turner’s dunk off an alley-oop pass from Young that made it 53-41 going into the half.

Holiday got things started in the third quarter with a jumper, and Young hit a 20-footer and a 3-pointer to give Philadelphia a 60-43 lead. A 14-4 run put the Sixers up 67-45 and the lead stretched to 29 points at one point.

The Knicks missed 12 straight shots in a span of 7:22 in the third.

Notes: Sixers guard Jason Richardson (left knee) missed his third straight game. Young started in his place. Spencer Hawes replaced Lavoy Allen in the lineup. ... A sellout crowd of 20,540 included plenty of Knicks fans. ... Sixers rookie Arnett Moultrie saw his first action since Jan. 8. ... Knicks guard Raymond Felton returned to the lineup after missing 12 games with a broken right finger. He had eight points. ... Felton hadn’t played since Christmas Day against the Los Angeles Lakers. ... The Sixers are 10-4 when scoring 100 or more. ... Phillies shortstop Jimmy Rollins, the 2007 NL MVP, sat courtside and got a loud ovation shown on the video screen. ... Kidd remains 13 assists shy of 12,000.